.
Set delivery address
Change
Set delivery address
Change

Epilepsy First Aid

February 11 is International Epilepsy Day. Here's how to help someone having a seizure.

11 February 2019
by Glynis Horning

  1. Note the time of the seizure – glance at your watch or cellphone so you can gauge how long it lasts. “A seizure only requires medical attention if it lasts longer than five or six minutes,’ says Marina Clarke, national director of Epilepsy South Africa.
  2. Don’t attempt to move the person, unless they’re in a dangerous place (crossing the road, in a swimming pool). Rather remove any objects, such as furniture, away if these could injure the person, Clarke says. 
  3. Protect against head injury by putting something soft under their head (like a folded jacket). If possible, loosen any tight clothing, and remove their glasses.
  4. If they have food or fluid in their mouth, immediately turn them on their left side – the recovery position. (The stomach is on the left, so this way there is less chance of them aspirating – breathing in any fluid or vomit and chocking.) If they have nothing in their mouth, wait until the jerking stops before rolling them gently to that side. 
  5. Don’t try to hold them or keep them still, just stay close and reassure them.
  6. Never put anything in their mouth (a spoon, pencil, finger) in the belief that you need to stop them swallowing their tongue – they can break their teeth or hurt your finger. It’s not possible to swallow a tongue, and while they may bite it, putting something in their mouths won’t prevent that, says Clarke.
  7. Never give them anything to drink or eat, or any extra medication, or try burning anything under their nose to revive them.
  8. If the seizure lasts longer than six minutes, call an ambulance. (Most seizures last between a few seconds and two minutes – even though it may feel longer to you.) Also call an ambulance if they are still having trouble breathing, have a second seizure soon after the first, or have an injury requiring medical attention.
  9. If they’re in a car seat, stroller or wheelchair, leave them seated, with any seatbelt still fastened (unless it’s hurting them). Support their head, and lean them a little to one side to help drain any fluid in their mouth.
  10. If they have the seizure in a swimming pool, river or the sea, support their head to keep their face out of the water, and tilt back their head to keep their airways clear. Use a flotation device to help, if one is handy. When the jerking stops, get them out of the water. 


    The accuracy of this information has been verified by Dr Ilana Joubert.

    For more information, go to www.epilepsy.org.za

 

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images